Odds and Ends

As I am coming to the end of this week, I am reflecting on those things I have left UNsaid, if not UNdone.

I have not talked about the environmental, ecological, economical disaster that is occurring in the Gulf of Mexico because... well... what can I say? The greed is so apparent, the result of that greed is so catastrophic, and the failure of the CEO of British Petroleum to really understand that this isn't a "little leak" in a "large ocean" just leaves me speechless. BP has given $25 million to Florida, so we can promote tourism. As Isabelle and I were discussing this "donation", we figured the best use of the money would be to advertise "working vacations" and have the tourists help clean up the oil on our beaches... and our wildlife.

I have also remained mum on the George Rekers story. Who? You mean, you don't know about the homophobe our Attorney General, Howdy Doody, hired to defend the hateful gay adoption ban?! Well, it turns out that "Dr." Rekers, who is a champion of "curing" gay people and sits on the boards of many of most virulently anti-gay groups, hired a male escort for a trip to Europe... to "carry his bags" (and offer him "sexual" massages). "Carry his bags": I wonder if that's the queer euphemism for "hiking the Applachain Trail". Any way our Republican Attorney General, who aspires to be Governor, personally picked and paid Rekers $122,000 for his crackerjack testimony... which concluded that not only were gays unfit to be adoptive parents (because we're all drunks and drug addicts), but Native Americans were also questionable (for the same reason). Needless to say, the judge in the Miami court wasn't sold on that argument. And now, with this scandal reaching the New York Times, I can only hope that this "wrecker" of lives with his lies under oath will be shamed into obscurity. Equality Florida is demanding that the taxpayers' dollars that bought his bogus testimony be refunded. That would be nice. I'd also like the money back from the other loon the state called in to testify in defense of an indefensible position on adoption. And then I'd like to see the state save lots of money on foster care by ending this ridiculous ban and allowing children to go to homes of LGBT couples who would love them, and give them a permanent home!

And finally, back to the main purpose of this blog being a place for me to explore, examine and express my faith. As such, I ask your prayers for the gay couple in Malawi, Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, who were sentenced to fourteen years in prison and hard labor because they defied the laws of that country, and celebrated their engagement to be married. Such horrible examples of homophobia outside the United States are a reminder of how our struggles here, as difficult as they are sometimes, are not as dangerous as what is happening elsewhere. Human Rights groups are condemning this sentence and vowing to fight on. But political and church leaders are remaining silent. This doesn't surprise me, but it does sadden me. So not only am I seeking the love of God to be with these two men in this terrible period and to rule over Malawi and bring that nation to a new understanding... I am also sending my prayers up to God that all people in positions of authority recognize the importance of looking out for the meek, the lowly, the friendless, the prisoners. Please God: help! Help! Help!